How low can the Republicans go?  —  Americans are divided over whether Hastert should resign  —  Come hell or high water-ran the conventional wisdom-Republicans could rely on two issues to win elections: the war on terror and values.  Then came Mark Foley.

Warning Shots Fired Near Korean Border  —  SEOUL, South Korea — Gunfire rang out Saturday along the heavily armed no man's land separating the divided Koreas, as regional tensions mounted in anticipation of communist North Korea's plan to test its first atomic bomb.

Warner's Iraq Remarks Surprise White House  —  The White House, caught off guard by a leading Republican senator who said the situation in Iraq was "drifting sideways," responded cautiously on Friday, with a spokeswoman for President Bush stopping short of saying outright that Mr. Bush disagreed with the assessment.

Busted!  Harold Ford Jr. - Life Imitates Lawyer  —  Democrat Harold Ford Jr. is found guilty!  —  Ford Impersonates a lawyer on CNN with Wolf Blitzer  —  (20 seconds)  —  Harold Ford Jr. says, "I'm a lawyer.  You would expect all of those who are interviewed to be truthful and candid and forthcoming."

Security Barriers of New York Are Removed  —  They started appearing on Manhattan streets immediately after September 11: concrete and metal barriers in front of skyscrapers, offices and museums.  Some were clunky planters; others were shaped artfully into globes.

Foley Story Wasn't Reported, Until It Was  —  · Months ago, several major media outlets learned about troubling e-mails Rep. Mark Foley had sent to former pages — but they didn't feel they had enough information to go public with the story.  Brian Ross of ABC News got the same information …

THE NEW RELIGIOUS SOCIALISTS  —  I found this to be an interesting news article for several reasons, not the least of which is the title and the attitude of the writer.  However, I would like to focus more on the content: … Every American who values freedom of speech and an open …

Palestinian Premier Vows Not to Recognize Israel  —  Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya told a huge, cheering crowd today that his Hamas movement would not give in to international pressure that has crippled his government, and that it still has no intention of recognizing Israel.

Lamont's Lull  —  In a record week, futures in Ned Lamont continued to plummet in the political market.  Big board polls put the Connecticut Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate falling sharply behind incumbent independent Joseph Lieberman.  Most legit polls that insiders and serious observers look …

Update on the Federal Budget Deficit  —  The Mark Foley micro-scandal can't change the fact that the American economy is going great guns.  The 2006 budget deficit figures were just released, and the deficit is not only getting better, it is now relatively small by historical standards.

Castro Is Reported to Have Cancer  —  U.S. intelligence reports now say the Cuban leader's condition appears terminal, government officials tell TIME  —  Ever since President Fidel Castro was sidelined for what was said to be abdominal surgery last July, Cuban officials have maintained …

Danish TV shows cartoons mocking Prophet Mohammad  —Text+COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish state TV on Friday aired amateur video footage showing young members of the anti-immigrant Danish Peoples' party engaged in a competition to draw humiliating cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

Newspapers 2.0  —  Here's a remarkable and comprehensive report (by Krestia DeGeorge in City) on the current fracas going on at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.  Key point: … (Or hell, into Google, or Technorati.) … As Tim Rutten reports (and I pointed to yesterday) …